The effect of patient symptom awareness on the visual outcome in retinal detachment

Abstract

AbstractPurposeTo explore whether a patient's prior knowledge of the symptoms associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) relates to the visual outcome after treatment.MethodsWe performed a prospective survey study on 126 patients receiving treatment for primary RRD between March and July 2021.ResultsThirty‐seven per cent (n = 47) of patients responded that they were aware of the RRD symptoms prior to the detachment. A history of RRD in the fellow eye or knowledge of family members treated for RRD was frequently reported as a reason for the patient's awareness of RRD symptoms. Patients aware of RRD symptoms presented significantly more often with an attached macula (χ2, p = 0.002) and a better visual outcome following surgery (Mann–Whitney U, p = 0.028) compared to patients who were not aware of RRD‐related symptoms. Among 76 patients with a myopic refractive error, only 15% (n = 11) indicated that they had been warned about the increased RRD risk related to myopia, suggesting that three‐quarters of patients were not actively informed by their eye care professionals.ConclusionRRD symptom awareness is significantly related to a higher rate of macula‐on RRDs and better visual outcomes after treatment. There is limited awareness of increased RRD risk in myopic RRD patients. These findings suggest that counselling individuals at high risk of RRD about related symptoms is inadequate and better counselling may improve visual outcomes following RRD treatment.